KU DE-NUTs LONGHORNS...JUST THE FACTS JACK
-
KU BENCH 31,
UT BENCH 8
Also…
KU 3PT DEFENSE 15-18
UT 3PT OFFENSE 3-18
TEXAS’ VAUNTED OFFENSIVE REB.: 24
KU OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING: 24
(NOTE: EVEN ON TOTAL REEBS, TOO)
KU FT%: 78.9
UT FT%: 73
TEXAS +5 ON BLOCKS ERASED BY TEXAS +6 TURNOVERS.
KU +6 ON STRIPS
THE ONLY STAT KU COULD NOT MATCH WAS CHEAPS SHOTS. UT AS USUAL HELD A HUGE EDGE IN CHEAP SHOTS.
WHERE DO YOU WISH YOU’D GONE NOW, MYLES TURNER?
KENTUCKY BE FOREWARNED…YOU’RE NEXT!!!
-
@jaybate-1.0 “Kentucky be forewarned … you’re next!!!”
Damn right.
Coming into this game, I was a touch worried. Coach Self made comments leading up to the game that indicated it was going to be more feed the post. I posted the link this morning. Further, Texas played a 2-3 zone. Would our offense stagnate like it did against Baylor’s zone?
The Jayhawks actually attacked the zone today. The color guy commented that KU shouldn’t simply “pass the ball around the horn” when facing the zone. Good advice, We saw that against Baylor. There was some of that today, but it was the exception, rather than the rule. The offensive stagnation we saw against Baylor was replaced by an “attack the seams” mentality. Most entry passes were to the high post. We also significantly more screens against the zone today, where the same type of screening was nearly non-existent against Baylor. And we weren’t afraid to attack early in the shot clock. Gone was the 52 possession drudgery we left in Waco.
Mason and other used those screens to get penetration. KU was able to use that penetration to create baskets both inside and out.
Of course, Brannen Greene was dynamic. His three point shooting and scoring were just what the Jayhawks needed.
But credit coach Self for the biggest move of the game. Self again went with Greene over Selden down the stretch. And it paid off again. This time, though, Devonte Graham played the late minutes and Oubre was on the bench. The lineup of Cliff, Ellis, Greene, Mason and Graham took this team to its biggest win of the Big 12 season. No free passes here. No relying upon the presumed best players.
There was a time of concern, though. KU was in the midst of a 9-0 run in the first half, powered greatly by Greene, who tossed in five during the run. Then, inexplicably, Self replaced Greene with Selden. But Self quickly went back to Greene after Selden missed a three. Greene, following up on a strong performance against OU, again went for double digits off the bench. And Self played him when it counted. Self also stuck with Cliff in the stretch minutes once again. All great signs for this team.
Play the best players. Play the players that will win you the game.
What is clear is that Cliff Alexander and Brannen Greene are two of our best players. What is also clear is that Coach Self is seeing that as well. Cliff led KU with 15 points, 9 boards – nearly another double-double. And Greene, who is the best shooter on the team, added 14. For a team that appeared offensively challenged, Alexander and Greene change that perception. Both bring something to the table that no other player on the team offers.
I think Self is finding the right mix. More importantly, he’s showing a willingness to deviate from what appeared to be the presumptive favored lineup. Moving out of his comfort zone, which we know is a big deal with coach Self.
Next game, Selden might have the hot hand. Or Oubre might be the best match-up. For my money, Greene creates issues for defenses – an unabashed assassin from the three point line – that is unmatched for this version of the Jayhawks. We had an efficient and crisp eight man rotation today. And so long as Self isn’t bashful about using his options, the arrow is point up for this team.
Finally, what a play by Jamari Traylor. As impressive an effort as we’ll see on the basketball court.
Greene is emerging as one of those players. Again, he brought more to the table than Selden. Selden scored eight, on 2-6 shooting. But again underperformed on the boards, with only one rebound.
-
Wayne, tho seated was the biggest cheerleader on the bench. Kelly, Devonte and Frank can all get into the paint. All of them take it as a personal challenge. The guards then either scored or dished. Only 8 in the rotation but it was a TEAM win with vicious doglike attacking on both ends of the floor.
-
-
Another hustle by Bam Bam!
-
@HighEliteMajor Greene was awesome, again. And I watched him a lot on defense today. He didn’t look too shabby. Definitely not the defensive black hole/liability that he has the reputation for. The only time I got a teensy bit frustrated with him was when he passed up an open 3 (this immediately after having one of his attempts blocked by Ibeh).
And you’re right about Self finding the right mix. Oubre didn’t really have it today. Selden hit a couple of big 3s and had some nice hustle plays, but Self went with Greene & Graham down the stretch. That’s the best late game line-up in my opinion, at least while protecting a lead. Great ball handling & free throw shooting. Graham only cashed in a pair of free throws today for 2 pts, but I still loved having him on the court. I think he runs the team every bit as good as Mason, he provides excellent penetration off the dribble, and his quick hands lead to creating turnovers. And speaking of turnovers, 3? Total? And none from our primary ball handlers? Amazing. How would either of the last two KU squads have finished the year with this kind of PG play?
The other observation I had today was I think Perry was only blocked once, and it was right at the end of the game. I saw someone predicting he’d get it thrown back at least 6 times. Loved seeing that he can still be effective against a much taller front line.
-
@HighEliteMajor Great points, HEM. I was thinking also that once again, Self went with the players that he felt were most effective at the time. The last 2 games he has made the right moves. Selden did make a couple of 3s, but the 5 that were in there down the stretch were the most effective.
-
While there is a long way to go…doesn’t this all seem familiar? A big win on the road. Other conference teams can’t replicate that success. WVU got lucky or they would have lost one at home today. ISU coming back, but hopefully they’ll take it on the chin today.
-
3 TOs. as they said after the game that ties the least against a big 12 ranked opponent ever
-
They’ve got to get to two!!!
-
@approxinfinity 3 TO’s is awesome. Great job in attacking the zone…great coaching by Self and execution by the team. Graham, I thought, was great at attacking the zone when he was in there.
-
The 3 turnovers: Was the lowest number of t.o.s on the road by a KU team in KU history, and they tied the lowest overall with the 1966 team, who set the record at home against the Clones.
-
This is as good as it gets…
-
@JayHawkFanToo From CBS:
**That was one of the best second half performances by any team this season. After the Jayhawks started 2-11 from the field in the second stanza that saw Texas stretch out a five-point lead, they went on a 14-minute, 36-18 run where they shot 57 percent from the field and didn’t turn the ball over once to end the game and pick up the win. **
-
CLONE FAIL…
-
No question that the Big 12 is the best conference top to bottom. Having said that, can anyone had imagined a better outcome, for KU that is, than what we have so far?
Do 4 loses at this stage (less than half the games in) pretty much rule you out from contention? Maybe not but is drop the odds quite a bit.
-
@JayHawkFanToo it would be better if we won that stinking ISU game!
-
@HighEliteMajor I agree 100%. I too was worried about Self playing more inside - out, but to my liking played outside - in.
Most importantly, though, is that they played with energy and intensity for almost the full game.
I like what you and Jaybate said - “Kentucky be forewarned…You’re next!” If they play like they did this afternoon, there’s no question they could beat them.
-
When KU played UK, it had played 1official game (UCSB) and 2 exhibition games. UK had played 8 games, 6 of them against National Teams and professional Euro teams plus 2 exhibition games and had a lot of games to get it act together, KU players were just starting to know each other…the level of experience was not even close and it showed.
-
And on another positive note, I dont think we will be reading any " Brannen Greene likely to transfer " comments at least for a while… Now if we can just get Svi going
-
I bet Seth Greenberg wishes he would had not picked Texas after KU, “a team that pounds it inside,” took them apart…
-
@HighEliteMajor I assume the play you’re talking about was Jamari’s block. CBS sure didn’t recognize it, never showed it even once on replay. I was able to rewatch it and it was surely a thing of beauty. It’ll be interesting to see if it’s picked up by the media as a play to be watched.
-
What a fun game to see and be a part of. All the guys played tough. Brannen was sporting a shiner from an elbow he took in practice. To silence that crowd with solid play was special. All the players said they could hear our Let’s go Jayhawks chants and the rock chalk chant. Lots of crimson & blue. Met Frank Mason’s dad who was in from VA and Kelly’s dad who was up from Houston. I told Jamari to stay healthy as we needed him each game. Talked to each one, they signed my stuff. Svi looks 17 and so much younger than all the others. More tomorrow. Hoarse from all the screaming.
-
@RockChalkinTexas yeah! So fun! Thx for sharing, and cheering them on!
-
Best win of the year!! It might be the best win of the year depending on how things shake out. We gave great effort today, fought great on defense and I couldn’t have been happier how we finished the game.
Alexander had his 2nd big boy game in a row, he just gives us that lob/dunking factor that is demoralizing to opposing teams. Light bulb factor could be coming into place since Self gave him the slip to the bench during the Iowa St game.
Early it looked like we just continued last years game down in Austin. But the 3 point shot has equalized this team to bigger heights than past teams have ever seen. We have had so many dominate inside out teams that its hard to accept when the biggest advantage to this team is setting up a good 3 point shot.
Greene was simply awesome from 3 ball today. Every one of his shots was big, every rebound he got was fought with determination. Him and Oubre rebounded the heck out of the ball inside and kept Texas from grabbing everything in sight.
Shout out to our defense today. We needed our defense to be strong and for the most part we did exactly what we needed to do to win this gigantic road game. Texas may have missed shots they normally make but we missed just as many that could have gone our way.
A loss today could have really hurt us even though Texas Tech helped the cause & TCU could have really made it an epic day. We really needed todays win to shut up some of the media types that constantly remind us that certain people think this year is the year the reign ends. We might have gained some more followers today and I’m extremely happy with how we responded from the loss last week.
-
@jaybate-1.0 Yup. Those guys played their @$$#$ off today! Traylor, Selden, Cliff, Greene, Mason, Devonte, Oubre, Perry, Everyone that saw floor time earned it hard core. Ive never seen so many floor burns by KU in one game. They want #11 so bad they can taste it. They want to prove all the staticians and blog journalists wrong! And, theyre gonna do it too. We are barely half way thru the conference and KU is one up on the next best team. They will come out of January 7-1 and I thought they would be at 6-2. February is an all out grind though. Our boys better keep the foot to the gas pedal and barrel through it.
I saw a bit of bruise brothers 2.0 today too. It was great. What I didnt see was any 4 out 1 in sets by KU. I guess it shouldnt come as much of a surprise since they faced a long texas zone D that extended past the 3 pt line. Didnt matter though. We killed them. Huge Huge game. ROCK CHALK!!! #11
-
@icthawkfan316 " “How would either of the last two KU squads have finished the year with this kind of PG play?”
What a great question! And the implication that the last 2 KU teams would have thrived with this years PG play, is spot on.
